Persephone
by Skyler Riddle
Summary: Persephone with the help of Aphrodite thinks up a plan to keep Persephone's mother Demeter from worrying so much about her, but will it work?


Persephone Persephone the goddess of springtime is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was sitting at the meadows, closer to the rivers. There the river nymphs were swimming along and splashing each other and laughing. Persephone, as usual, was carried away by her daydreams. There was a banquet at Olympus again, and Persephone disliked those banquets. Her mother Demeter the goddess of agriculture always spent every second looking at her. Persephone was used to that, but she was tired of it too, tired of the over-cautiousness her mother showered upon her. Persephone reflected at her father's other wives and their children. Athena is as free as a bird, Apollo and Artemis are free too, Hera's five children: Hebe, Ares, Eris. Eileithyia, and Hephaestus are always free, Hermes, Dionysus, and Aphrodite too. The nine Muses, the three Graces, the three Horai, always independent too. None of their mothers ever worried incessantly about them. Persephone thought of her mother. Her mother Demeter was always worrying about her, no matter how much Persephone assured her that everything was alright. Persephone knew her mother Demeter had to check at least five times each time Persephone went to play with her friends if Persephone was okay. Not that Persephone did not like the way her mother treated her. Demeter was a very loving mother, and Persephone loved her mother dearly, but Persephone was an only child, and her mother was constantly concerned about her. Persephone longed for the day when she could be free of her mother's caution and choose her own path and be independent, like her half-sisters Athena and Artemis. One of the river nymphs came out and called to Persephone to join, but Persephone preferred to pick the flowers at the meadow. Persephone knew she shouldn't have strayed far from her friends that day. Now her mother had told her she could not leave her ever again, which Persephone listened had listened to with sorrow. Suddenly, a pink glow with silver sparkles appeared, and Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty came into sight. "Persephone, your mother Demeter asked me to see if you are okay. She's a bit worried about you." Aphrodite replied. Persephone sighed. "Is she looking for me right now?" Aphrodite nodded. "I don't want to hurt mother's feelings, but I am sick and tired of all the attention she gave me." Aphrodite's eyes lit up. "We'll have to keep her busy. Don't worry about a thing. I have everything settled. We will make her fall for the next handsome man she has her eyes on. If she has enough paramours, she will not have any time to worry about you. Besides, she has more than one child to take care of, you know." Persephone shook her head. "That's not good. I don't want to put a charm on mother. Perhaps there is something else we can do that doesn't involve love." Aphrodite rolled her eyes. Clearly the love goddess cared nothing except matchmaking and love, so anything else beyond her domain she did not care to take notice of. "Well? What else can we keep your mother occupied?" Aphrodite asked impatiently. Persephone smiled. "My half-sister Despoena needs a nurse. She's so precocious and so independent that mother had a long time choosing one just right for her. If she's busy with Despoena, she wouldn't have me to worry about." Persephone answered. Aphrodite clapped her hands. "Excellent. We'll get right to it. Where's my messenger Aglaia?" Aglaia the goddess of beauty who is the youngest of the three Graces appeared. She has dark brown eyes, long brown hair, and she's tall and slender and has fair white skin. She's not as beautiful as her two older sisters, but she's beautiful in her own way. "Yes, my lady, what may I do for you?" Aglaia asked. Aphrodite smiled at her. "Go to Olympus and tell Demeter that she needs to go see her daughter Despoena, and Despoena has need of a nurse still." Aglaia smiled and gave her perfect curtsy, and left for Olympus. Aglaia gave Demeter the message and Demeter hurried down to earth. Demeter rarely thought of herself. She was always thinking of her children or the mortals. She is a kind goddess, and a very unselfish one too. Demeter went to see her daughter Despoena immediately, and in her haste, she forgot about her daughter Persephone. After many hours of searching, Demeter finally found the right nurse for Despoena, and she hurried to where Persephone was playing, but to her bewilderment, Persephone was missing, again! Thinking she knew where her daughter is this time, Demeter hurried to Olympus and ran to her brother Zeus. Zeus was astonished at his sister's outburst, but he said nothing, neither did his sister wife Hera. "Zeus, tell Hades to give me back my daughter this instant!" Demeter cried. Zeus was more bewildered than ever. "Hades does not have Persephone. She was playing with the river nymphs this morning until now." Zeus said, trying to console her, but apparently it did not work, as the goddess continued to bellow. "Oh, yes he does! Hades probably snatched Persephone away for the second time. He thinks the first time is not enough! It's enough! That selfish brother of mine is going to get it! She's probably eaten six more seeds!" Demeter cried. Zeus patted his sister Demeter. "Demeter, I assure you. He doesn't have your daughter. Hades is not that cruel." Demeter rolled her eyes. Demeter gritted her teeth. "Zeus, send a messenger down to check." Zeus sighed and nodded. "Hera, send your messenger Iris down to Hades and check if Persephone is there." Hera nodded. "Iris!" Hera called for her messenger, and Iris the rainbow goddess appeared. "Go down to Hades and see if Persephone is down there." Hera ordered. Iris obeyed and gliding down her rainbow, she arrived at Hades and searched for Persephone, but Persephone was not down there, and Iris reported to Zeus and Hera. "See? She's not down there." Zeus said. Demeter stamped her foot with impatience. "Well, where CAN she be?" Suddenly, Hebe the daughter of Zeus and Hera appeared. Hebe is goddess of youth. "I know where she is, Demeter." Hebe said softly. "Where is she?" Demeter asked anxiously. "I saw her playing on Mount Helicon with Aphrodite, Apollo, the Graces, and the Muses." Demeter thanked Hebe and she soared across the skies to Mount Helicon, and saw her daughter Persephone playing alongside with the three Graces and the nine Muses. Persephone said nothing when she saw her mother, but Aphrodite groaned. "I thought the plan worked. What happened?" Persephone smiled and shrugged her shoulders, but she and her mother Demeter embraced, the best thing Persephone got all day. 


End file.
